Former Commissioner, Others Drag Amosun, NASS to Court over N19b Loan

Former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Ogun State, Mr. Sina Kawonise and two others have taken the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunke Amosun to court over the letter sent to the Ogun State House of Assembly requesting the approval of the lawmakers to borrow additional nineteen billion naira to finance part of the year 2014 budget.

In a suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abeokuta in the Abeokuta Judicial decision, with Suit No: FHC/AB/OS/17/14 between Sina Kawonise, Adwkoya Boladale and Gbenga Soloki as 1st, 2nd and 3rd claimants respectively, and the Governor of Ogun State, Ogun State House of Assembly,  the Speaker OGHA, Attorney-General of Ogun State, National Assembly, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ogun State, Chairman Appropriation Committee, Ogun State House of Assembly, Clerk Ogun State House of Assembly, Sterling Bank, Eco bank, GT bank and FCMB as defendants. The claimants are seeking to stop the Ogun State House of Assembly from granting the approval for Governor Amosun request because it was not made in compliance with section 11 (5) a-e of the Ogun State Bonds, Notes and other Securities Issuance Law, 2012.

According to the claimant, the Ogun State governor had failed to grant and earlier request made under the Freedom of Information Act for a full disclosure of the the state's debt exposures as well as the request born compliance with the Public Procurement Act.

Governor Amosun had on Tuesday 4th of February 2014 sent a request to the House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Suraju Adekunbi, seeking the House approval to borrow additional N19b to add to the state's existing debt portfolio in order to enable him to finance some of the ongoing projects his administration has embarked upon. The House of Assembly had adjourned to resume sitting and discussions on this on Tuesday 
11th of February.

Meanwhile, in the suit which was filed on Monday 10th of February, 2014, the claimants are praying the National Assembly to invoke its powers under the Item 7 of the Exclusive list in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as it relates to debts and borrowings under the constitution, which places this under the National Assembly.

They are also calling on all the financial institutions so approached and as listed to disregard the request of the Ogun State government until it complies with due process and constitutional provisions.